Man facing multiple charges tells Manchester judge he wants no rum

January 22. 2013 6:40PMMANCHESTER - Michael Demers, who told a judge he doesn't want to see a bottle of rum ever again, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to charges of simple assault, criminal threatening (2), resisting arrest and disorderly conduct that resulted from efforts of police to arrest Demers Friday on warrants stemming from an August incident.

Demers, 21, of 500 Chestnut St., told Judge William Lyons that he doesn't want to see a bottle of rum ever again.

Demers is accused of swinging his arm up as if to hit an officer, of lunging at an officer to headbutt him, telling police he would shoot them in the head, struggling with officers seeking to handcuff him, and yelling and screaming obscenities and refusing to quiet down.

The warrants accuse Demers of failing to stop and provide required information after he drove a vehicle on Central Street Aug. 13, 2012, that struck two parked vehicles and caused property damage.

Last June, when Demers was in Circuit Court on a charge of violation of a protective order, he said he was an alcoholic but was now sober and going to AA meetings.

Bail was set at $2,000 cash/surety, with trial set for March 7.

Denies threatening woman

Luis Rodriguez, 25, of 417 Laurel St., pleaded innocent Tuesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to charges of disobeying a police officer and resisting arrest, but he could enter no plea to a felony criminal threatening charge that alleges he chased a woman with a landscape shovel and threatened to kill her.

Police Lt. Maureen Tessier said officer Kevin Gelinas spotted Rodriguez driving an unregistered off-road motorcycle east on Hanover Street shortly after 11 a.m. Friday morning, without a helmet or required protective eyewear, and using his arm, with a bag hanging off it to shield his face from the wind.

She said Gelinas signaled Rodriguez to stop, but Rodriguez ignored the emergency lights and accelerated east on Hanover, south on Milton Street and out of sight.

Moments later, she said, Gelinas responded to a report of a crashed motorcycle at Laurel and Beacon streets, where he saw a trail of discarded clothing leading away from the dirt bike. Officer John Cunningham and K-9 Nero tracked from the motorcycle to 417 Laurel St., where a witness said the rider had fled. Rodriguez was found hiding in a bedroom.

Tessier said it was after Rodriguez's arrest on the motorcycle-related charges, for which he was originally scheduled to appear for arraignment Jan. 30, that officers learned that the pursuit was immediately preceded by a domestic incident on Hanover Street.

A woman told police that during a dispute over the status of their relationship, Rodriguez chased her with a shovel raised over his head, saying he was going to "take care of her," which she understood to mean he would kill her. She told police she locked herself in a room, but Rodriguez banged on the door and said he would come back later.

In court Tuesday, Rodriguez said what the woman told police was not true. "I was at my girlfriend's house," he said, gesturing to a woman in the gallery.

Bail had been set at a total of $2,500 personal recognizance, but police prosecutor Capt. Robert Cunha requested a $5,000 cash/surety bail to ensure public safety and the safety of the victim. Cunha said Rodriguez is under the umbrella of suspended sentences on June 7, 2012, convictions for simple assault and resisting arrest.

Judge William Lyons, saying Rodriguez disclosed those convictions on his bail sheet, left bail at $2,500 personal recognizance, with conditions barring contact with the alleged victim and barring Rodriguez from the woman's Hanover Street residence. A probable cause hearing on the felony was set for Feb. 13 and trial on the misdemeanors was set for April 29.

Says he's been good

Tyler Hall, 24, of 416 Spruce St., Tuesday asked Circuit Court-Manchester District Division Judge William Lyons for personal recognizance bail on a felony charge of receiving stolen property and charges of conduct after an accident and second offense driving after suspension, all from 2012.

Hall is accused of having a MacBook Pro valued at more than $1,000 that belonged to someone else.

He's also accused of second-offense driving after suspension and causing property damage with his vehicle at Kelley and Kimball streets and failing to stop and provide the required information.

"I've gotten in no trouble for the past year," Hall said, adding that he's been doing positive things.

But a police prosecutor sought $2,000 cash/surety bail, saying Hall has a 2010 conviction for violation of probation and theft convictions in 2009 and 2010.

Lyons wouldn't set personal recognizance bail, but set bail at $1,000, half the amount requested by the prosecution, with conditions that include no contact with the laptop owner. A probable cause hearing was set Feb. 4 on the felony and trial was set for March 7 on the misdemeanors.

Alleged actions caused fire

A man accused of trying to drill into truck gas tanks, causing a fire at U-Haul, 443 Hooksett Road, Jan. 4, was arraigned Tuesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division.

Ronnie Mac Stephens, 28, of 386 Dubuque St., could enter no plea to a felony charge of reckless conduct, so a probable cause hearing was set for Feb. 4.

He pleaded innocent to an attempted theft by unauthorized taking charge and trial was set for March 12.

Firefighters responded to a fire at the U-Haul store at about 5 a.m. Jan. 4 for a vehicle on fire and found two large box trucks in the rear lot fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze, which resulted in heavy damage to both trucks and partial damage to a third truck that was parked next to them.

A charred gas can was found between the two heavily damaged trucks and police and fire investigators said it appeared someone had been trying to siphon gas from the trucks when the fire occurred.

Bail was set at $5,000 cash/surety for Stephens, with conditions that include a waiver of extradition and a bar on going to the U-Haul store.

Threat prompts arrest

A man accused of threatening to burn down the building in which his ex-girlfriend lives was arraigned Tuesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division on a criminal threatening charge.

Matthew Van Nordin, 28, of 45 Log St., is accused of telling the woman, who lives on Douglas Street: "I'll burn this whole building down." He is accused of then pointing to his head and telling her: "You don't know what goes on in here."